1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention generally relates to a carrying case and, more particularly, to a casing structure for a portable electric appliance such as, for example, a lap-top model of personal computer, a portable word processor, a portable electronic calculator or the like whose casing is designed for hand-held transportation.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
The lap-top model for a personal computer or a portable word processor currently available on the market comprises a generally box-like casing accommodating therein various circuit components and having a keyboard arrangement and a removable or non-removable display panel assembly. The display panel assembly is generally hingedly supported for movement between a closed position, in which the display panel assembly serves as a lid for concealing the keyboard arrangement for transportation, and an opened position in which the keyboard arrangement is made accessible to an operator and in which the display panel assembly is held in a generally erected position with a display panel being visible to the operator.
The prior art casing of the type referred to above has two major problems; one associated with a lock mechanism for locking the display panel assembly in the closed position and the other associated with a foldable handle assembly for hand-held transportation.
According to the prior art, the lock mechanism comprises a pawl member installed in one of the casing and the display panel assembly and supported for sliding motion between locked and released positions, a spring member for urging the pawl member in one direction towards the locked position and an engagement member installed in the other of the casing and the display panel assembly and engageable with the pawl member when the latter is moved towards the locked position.
While the lock mechanism used in the prior art casing functions satisfactorily, the lock mechanism is somewhat complicated. More specifically, the use of the biasing spring member increases the number of necessary component parts and, also, the use of the spring member tends to increase the number of fabricating steps during assembly of the casing.
When it comes to the handle assembly, the handle assembly used in the prior art casing generally comprises a generally U-shaped handle foldably connected at its opposite free ends to the casing through hinge members. The use of the hinge members tends to increase the number of necessary component parts required for the casing as a whole. In addition, considering the handle supported for movement between a projected position, in which the handle is exposed outside the perimeter of the casing for access by the hand of an operator, and a concealed position in which the handle is retracted inwardly of the casing, the casing is required to have a correspondingly U-shaped recess for accommodating the handle therein when the handle is in the concealed position. The recess for the handle generally extends inwardly of the casing and, therefore, the maximum available volume of the casing is correspondingly reduced, posing a problem in that some of the circuit component parts cannot be installed within the casing at a location in the vicinity of the recess. Therefore, the casing is required to be relatively bulky for all of the circuit component parts to be accommodated therein.